The Power of Positive Change: Making a Difference by Doing Things Differently

The Power of Positive Change: Making a Difference by Doing Things Differently

By Jeff Baldock, BA, BSW, MA, MSW

Most of us need a place to go where we can prepare to become somewhat more experienced with who we are at our life stage and age. Even though we desire security, our need to relentlessly pursue our optimal performance seems to linger inside each of us. On one hand, it is survival that we endeavour to become more of what we are made for and capable of fulfilling. 

What drives this unique desire to fulfil a calling or mission? It would seem that in spite of each of the daily and weekly difficulties we face, the opportunities that keep us from becoming the person we are capable of being are relentless. 

Each day that we can become more aware of what and who we are, we advance. The word "advance" indicates walking steadily toward becoming optimized. With the realization that there are people who need our services, we have a reason for developing our natural abilities and expertise for the purpose of influencing others. 

Our lives whether we realize it or not influence other people. Though we can rarely see or experience how often, where or how much we touch the lives of others, the reality is that we do. This essential need to somehow find a way to connect our abilities to the lives and needs of people is what inspires us to achieve. 

When we are engaged with the needs of others, we are consistently able to resolve problems, overcome obstacles and make contributions. This results in bringing value to the needs and lives of others. Daily we can connect with others and engage with them. It requires a complete resolve to allow becoming vulnerable enough to let others in, share gifts and continue to help. 

Have a great day "contributing, advancing and growing" Jeff Baldock BA, BSW, MA, MSW 

The Benefits of Mindfulness

Mindfulness: A Powerful Tool for Improving Physical and Mental Well-Being

by Jeff Baldock, BA, BSW, MA, MSW

Mindfulness is an essential component of overall health and well-being. However, in today's fast-paced world, finding peace of mind and maintaining a healthy state of mind can be challenging. Fortunately, mindfulness and meditation offer practical and scientifically proven techniques to help promote mental wellness and reduce stress and anxiety.

The Benefits of Mindfulness:

Mindfulness is the practice of being present at the moment and focusing on the present without judgment. Research has shown that mindfulness can have a significant positive impact on mental wellness by reducing stress, anxiety, and depression, and improving mood and emotional regulation.

One of the main benefits of mindfulness is its ability to reduce stress and anxiety. When stressed, our mind is often consumed by worries about the future or regrets about the past. Mindfulness helps us to be present in the moment, where we can manage our stress and anxiety more effectively.

Mindfulness also improves emotional regulation by teaching us to accept our thoughts and feelings without judgment. This can help us to react less impulsively and handle negative emotions in a healthier way.

The Benefits of Meditation:

Meditation is a mindfulness technique that focuses on the present moment and clearing the mind of distractions. It has been practised for thousands of years and has been shown to have numerous benefits for mental wellness.

One of the most well-known benefits of meditation is its ability to reduce stress and anxiety. When we meditate, we slow down our breathing and focus on our thoughts and feelings, which can help to calm our minds and reduce feelings of stress and anxiety.

Meditation has also been shown to improve mood and emotional regulation. Regular meditation can help us to handle negative emotions in a more productive and healthy way and to cultivate positive emotions like compassion and kindness.

Conclusion:

Mindfulness and meditation offer a simple and effective path to mental wellness. By helping us to be present at the moment, regulate our emotions, and reduce stress and anxiety, these techniques can have a profound impact on our mental and emotional health. Whether you're a seasoned practitioner or just starting out, incorporating mindfulness and meditation into your daily routine can help you to achieve greater peace of mind and happiness.

Are You Talented and Unique?

Do you ever wonder what you are supposed to be doing with your future? Have you ever asked the question, “What are my special gifts and talents?” Have you ever asked the bigger question “why am I here?” People young and old ask themselves these questions all the time. Whether in business for yourself or working for someone, knowing your talents and your purpose in having these talents is an imperative.

It is without question that as a coach who has worked with hundreds of clients on a one to one basis, I have seen that everyone has a passion for using their talents in service to others. There is a burden that each person carries to contribute to the needs of others in some specific way. Often there are threads of evidence with the passion that goes back into childhood. Perhaps a person had a desire to help elderly people as a child. As they got older they learned that their talent for working with the elderly was something they had specific skills for and a continued desire to help them. As a result they began a business that aided the needs of the elderly.

Bruce Smith is a motivational speaker and chaplain to business executives. At one time Bruce was an all star football player in the CFL for the Toronto Argonauts. Bruce was skillful as a football player so much that he was made captain of the Argonauts. In discussions with Bruce he recognizes that his talents were clear but his purpose for using those talents took a bit of time to find. After having played six years in the CFL he began to play more for his team and the fans. He admits that earlier in his career he was more interested in being recognized as the highest paid player in the league for his position. After having achieved this goal, he realized that there was a specific emptiness that persisted.

New Goals for 2008

Hi Everyone and Happy New Year 2008!

I hope you are keeping well. This year lets make some changes to our lives. To so we will need to start with what we want to achieve, a reason for achieving it and a plan to achieve it.

Here are some steps to take for your goals.

1. Define your goals clearly, 2. State how your goals will benefit others and yourself. 3. Picture your goals being achieved and write a plan for achieving them.

Here is a very simple method to use this strategy.

1. Determining your goals: Take a few days to decide what you want to do in your life. Write your goals (two or three major goals only. If you can focus on one goal at a time it is better) on a paper and read this paper often. As soon as you write your goals you enter the top 5% section of the people. 95% people don’t know what their aims are so your success chances for a better life immediately increase.

2. Purpose: Determine how your goals will benefit others. The more your goals are about benefiting others, the more motivated you will be to achieve them. Also, daily affirmations help keep keeps your mind positive and hopeful. You become focused and attract the same in your life. To become successful in life repeat this affirmation ten times in the morning and ten times before going to bed: ‘God has sent me in this world to become successful. I am achieving my goal’.

3. Picture your goals being achieved: Set your goals and write them out with a plan to achieve them by a certain date. If you are willing to set your life toward achieving goals that benefit others and yourself, you deserve to achieve them. Put a plan on paper. Consider drawing or cutting out pictures of yourself having achieved the goals. We tend to think in images.

Following these steps will help to ensure that 2008 is a fantastic year for you.

All the best,

Your Career Enrichment Coach
Jeff Baldock. B.A., B.S.W., M.A.

Fundamentals and Daily Steps to Succeed

The reality is that fundamentals, get us to the next level. One fundamental is to make 30 to 50 phone calls a day from 7am to 9am to new or existing prospects or customers. By doing this you can expect to line up appointments that will build your calendar with opportunity meetings.

Being focused each day on activities that fulfill a daily plan is essential. We have to get things going and done on a daily basis. Over time we log a lot of opportunity by reaching out to contact others daily.

Teaching people that each day requires a plan is sometimes a challenge. People become very stuck in their old ways. These old ways do not necessarily get us to a new place of success. The success we are looking for is not about us getting what we want, rather it is about us giving to others. Yet if we do not deliver daily with activities that contribute to the lives of others, we will be in great trouble.

Life is sometimes very challenging. Our daily steps will get us further and build more confidence. Daily success gives us hope and helps us to see what is possible. Consider daily steps that you could take that will impact your career.

You may need to speak with someone in a similar business to learn what fundamentals delivered daily will make the greatest impact on your business.

Repeat after me, "no fear"

You are a talented and gifted person. It takes courage to break out of the mental box of fear. Recently, I began to realize just how much fear stops us from reaching our potential. I fully believe that so much of who we are and what we can achieve for the benefit of others and ourselves gets swallowed up by fear.

No fear. Repeat after me, no fear.

You deserve to reach your true potential. Go for your dreams. Make a list of three of your fears and simply say “no fear” as you think about them.

This world needs your contributions. Don’t let mere emotions stop you.

Repeat after me, "no fear".

Repeat after me, "no fear"

You are a talented and gifted person. It takes courage to break out of the mental box of fear. Recently, I began to realize just how much fear stops us from reaching our potential. I fully believe that so much of who we are and what we can achieve for the benefit of others and ourselves gets swallowed up by fear.

No fear. Repeat after me, no fear.

You deserve to reach your true potential. Go for your dreams. Make a list of three of your fears and simply say “no fear” as you think about them.

This world needs your contributions. Don’t let mere emotions stop you.

Repeat after me, "no fear".

What Do You Do When Things Get Difficult?

What do you do when you face situations in life for which you feel and believe there is very little hope?

Who or what do you turn to when you are feeling down?

The circumstances we face daily can seem insurmountable. They can hit us hard. Such circumstances include job loss, loss of colleagues who for one reason or another leave our organization, drop in business, loss of customers, and relationship troubles. When these situations occur, we can feel the stress mount, despair set in and our sense of worth or value decline. It makes it difficult to function and contribute to our best. This affects our customers, colleagues, family and friends.

In such circumstances, we can feel that there is very little we can do to overcome and rise up again. There is hope. We always end up seeing how circumstances work out for good purposes in time. The choice we have when we are facing troubles is to recognize that everything will work out for the good. Somehow no matter how difficult things are we will see that there are good things coming around the corner. A friend of mine Stuart Leese a television director and producer, reminded me during one of these times, that there is always another bus coming around the corner.

A glass filled half way is always half full. This tactic of choosing to accept the positive out of any life circumstance helps us have gratitude for whatever life hands to us. When we face a situation that is tough, give thanks. We can be thankful for any situation because it is through the trials that we develop patience and perseverance.

As we look upon those aspects of our life that we are thankful including challenging circumstances, we can be happy and content knowing that all things do work together for the good. This will help us get back on the horse and ride again. Our family, customers, colleagues and friends all benefit as we carry on contributing to the needs of others. Oh yes, I should add that we benefit too because we receive when we we give to others.

Jeff Baldock, B.A., B.S.W., M.A.
Career Coach
Careersport Inc.
416.966.2001

How to Grow with Obstacles

As we move from one obstacle to another, we grow and develop.

Each day presents small and large opportunities setting goals for which to make a contribution to the lives and needs of others. As soon as we set the goals, obstacles begin to arise.

There are always solutions to address the obstacles we face. The process of addressing these obstacles, allows us to learn and develop skills, which we carry forward.

If we see that no matter what situation we face, there is a solution, we leverage each day to build for the future. As we realize that all things do work together for the good, we begin to see that the obstacles we face are opportunities which challenge our abilities and move us into victories which to bolster our confidence and self esteem.

A good friend of mine and gifted leader Cal Bosveld, always believes and looks for the solution to any problem he faces. When Cal faces a problem, I always say about him that "if he cannot go under it, he will go over it and if he cannot go over it he will go around it, and if he cannot go around it, he will go through it, but one way or another he will get the problem solved".

Like Cal much of your confidence comes from stepping in faith out of the boat to tackle the obstacles and learn from them.

Set your goals, tackle the obstacles to make contributions big and small.

Jeff Baldock, Career Coach
Careersport Inc.
416.966.2001
jbaldock@careersport.com

* go the our website and download our free Careersport coaching handbook